Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41398045›Full record

ArticleCell death and differentiation2026

Targeting MMA-induced USP36 methylmalonylation to suppress macrophage polarization and tumor progression in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma.

Daojia Miao, Jian Shi, Diaoyi Tan, Chuanyi Zhao, Qingyang Lv, Feiyi Lu, Junkai Yang, Hongmei Yang, Zhiyong Xiong, Xiaoping Zhang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell death and differentiation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Daojia Miao *Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. miaodj@hust.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-7780-1282
Jian Shi *Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Diaoyi Tan *Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.ORCID 0009-0006-1896-9700
Chuanyi Zhao *Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Qingyang LvDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Feiyi LuDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Junkai YangDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Hongmei YangDepartment of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Zhiyong XiongDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. tjxiongzhiyong@163.com.ORCID 0009-0007-8949-9555
Xiaoping ZhangDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. xzhang@hust.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0003-0218-3288

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 81874090
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), driving tumor progression and altering the tumor microenvironment (TME), making it crucial to understand metabolic dysregulation in ccRCC and to identify new therapeutic targets for patients. In this study, metabolomic profiling identified elevated levels of methylmalonic acid (MMA) in ccRCC, attributed to downregulation of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MMUT). MMA produced by ccRCC accumulates in the TME and activates the suppressor of fused (SUFU)-regulated Hedgehog signaling pathway in a dose-dependent manner, promoting M2 polarization of macrophages and tumor progression. Mechanistically, MMA induces methylmalonylation at the K499 site of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 36 (USP36), inhibiting USP36-mediated deubiquitination and SUMOylation of SUFU, thereby promoting the expression of GLI family zinc finger 1 (GLI1) and its target genes. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that a low branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) diet or treatment with the de-methylmalonylation agent MC3138 effectively inhibited M2 polarization of macrophages and tumor progression. These findings emphasize the critical role of MMA in ccRCC pathogenesis and suggest that combining a low-BCAAs diet with MC3138 therapy may offer a promising treatment strategy for ccRCC patients with elevated MMA levels.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Renal CellKidney NeoplasmsMacrophagesUbiquitin ThiolesteraseAnimalsCell Line, TumorDisease ProgressionHumansMiceMice, NudeUbiquitin Thiolesterase

Identifiers

PMID41398045
PMCPMC13434116

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.